The Unlikely Love Story of Alfonse and Riza
by SilverTinkerbell
Summary: Can one fall in love with merely a soul? And even if you could, would you ever be able to fall in love with their true body as well?


**A/N: **Don't own them. (insert credits here)

**By the way** I'm not obsessed with Alfonse. I just seem to get more inspiration using him in fics.

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Riza lowered her gun as Scar ran out of her range and turned to the big tin man sitting paralyzed against the grimy alley wall. She didn't realise until then that he was a mere a shell with a soul. She though that he was playing a kids dress up game by walking around in a suit of armour, kind of like her little nephew would go nowhere without his fireman helmet.

She tried hard not to stare at the gaping hole that Scar had blasted through the armour, revealing the (ironically) naked truth.

_Poor kid_, she thought to herself. She knelt down next to Alfonse Elric.

"Are… are you ok?" she asked hesitantly.

"I'm fine thanks," he said hastily, although given the fact that he couldn't move he was obviously not. "Please help Brother. He looks like he's in pain."

"The paramedics are already seeing to your brother," she said, aware that Alfonse couldn't move his head to see for himself. "Is there anything I can do for _you_?"

"Can you make sure that Brother gets to the hospital safely?" he replied, as if the First Lieutenant hadn't asked to aid Alfonse at all. "Please?"

She smiled at him, which was rare occurrence on its own. She hadn't known anyone this selfless in her entire life. A mere shell of his former self, one would've expected this guy to be depressing and bitter, and yet for as long as she'd known Alfonse Elric, he had always been good natured and polite. His only concern was his brother. A mere boy of 14 who was more mature than even the highest ranks in the military.

She carefully turned the head of the suit of armour so that he could see his brother. She wasn't sure why exactly he couldn't move. She figured it must've been busted hinges or something.

They both watched as Ed was carried into the ambulance and only after Alfonse was certain that his brother was safe did he request to be taken to the hospital with them.

A minibus was called up to transport the paralysed tin man. All the while she sat with him in a comfortable silence.

As they pulled up in front of the hospital Riza heard Alfonse mutter to himself, blaming himself. She sighed and put her hand on his cold, metallic shoulder.

"Alfonse. You are not to blame. Understand that."

There was a short silence. She didn't really need an answer. "I can't stay though. I have a mountain of paperwork to do now."

The cadets around Alfonse started to get all his bits and pieces together in order to leave. "Thank you Lieutenant." He said softly as he was carried out of the minibus.

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Life's been rather hectic for the higher ups in the military. Ever since Edward Elric made a sudden appearance in Liore about a week ago, life's been topsy turvy.

Many houses were demolished and those that still stood were destitute and unfit for human in habitants in fear of collapse. Not even Brigadier General Armstrong could rebuild quickly enough. The rich quickly moved to other cities whilst the poor remained in small refugee camps dotted around the ruins of the city. Having to have to deal with sudden famine, disease and an alarming crime rate, the people of Liore looked for a scapegoat to explain their misfortunes. Naturally they chose the military. The threat of a civil war hung in the air like a gas-filled room, waiting for an unsuspecting person with a lighter.

The pressure put on the higher ups was no joke either. So much, that many resigned. Within a matter of two weeks Major Riza Hawkeye was pushed up the ladder before she could say snake.

Now, as a Colonel, all the seriously annoying dirty work was left to her. Incompetent new recruits are often sent to her with their most minor of problems. Like she cares if you didn't know which end of a gun you're supposed to point at the enemy. She sighed again. She wished sometimes that the former Brigadier General Mustang didn't leave the military two years ago. Then her situation would've been different.

"Colonel Hawkeye, there's a man in the lobby wishing to speak with you," Riza's secretary called out.

"I'm busy, tell him to come back later," the Colonel Hawkeye said, stamping a piece of paper with the military's seal of approval.

"But he insists that he's the new State Alchemist who was put under your care."

Riza sighed. She was not in the mood for another cocky alchemist. Why were most State Alchemists so damn cocky? Mustang, Edward Elric even Armstrong at times.

"Send him in, Moira," Riza replied regrettably, not looking up from her work. A few moments later she heard her secretary invite the new recruit in.

"Thank you, miss," an unexpectantly young voice replied. Riza looked up immediately. A young man walked in, his blonde ponytail swishing gaily behind him. He had a bit of a baby face but that didn't make him unattractive. He wore a red trench coat, black trousers and white gloves. But it was not Edward Elric who just walked into her office. The young man's blue eyes caught hers. They radiated compassion and yet extreme determination. Riza stared in disbelief. He broke eye contact out of respect for his superior.

It's not often that the great Riza Hawkeye can be shocked. Ten years in the military can really open one's eyes. Luckily for her, the Colonel's stare could easily be passed off as an inspection of the new recruit rather than a girl gawking at the boy next door who suddenly grew up. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. The young man stood in front of her desk, looking a little nervous by all this attention. Riza examined for a moment longer, her amber eyes trying to take in as much as she could. She then smiled for the first time in months.

"Alfonse Elric, it's so lovely to see you again. My you have changed," she said in a tone she only used around close friends.

The young man looked confused for a moment by the sudden loss of formalities, making Riza wonder if she had mistaken him for someone else. "I… I guess you must've known my brother too then, right?" the sweet, soft voice of the young asked. He had a very clear voice, unlike the muffled echo that came from the helmet. "I beg your pardon if I don't remember. I lost my memory when Brother disappeared."

_Oh that's right. Mustang told me about this._ "And that's why you wished to become a State Alchemist?" she asked "To get your brother back and retrieve your memory?" She caught herself watching how his hands moved freely as he spoke to her, free of a hollow metallic clank whenever he came in contact with something.

Alfonse nodded and handed her his official papers. "I know it is possible. I manage to transmute a part of my soul into a suit of armour and travel with him through the portal last week. Unfortunately it's only temporary. I wish to look into it in greater depth. The military has a great many resources that I can use."

She shook her head in dismay. _Such a typical Elric thing to do_. She then looked at the paper that he had just given her.

"The Soul Alchemist, huh?" she read out loud, "A very fitting name, I must say."

Alfonse looked down and blushed. "Thank you miss."

_How can he be so humble? He never changed, did he? _

"I understand that your research is important. It might even aid us in finding out how to deal with something like the event in Liore if it ever happened again," she said in a bit more serious tone to throw off her girlish thoughts. "But try not to cause more trouble than there already is. The people of Liore are already running amuck and Central is bruised by that earthquake."

"Yes M'am," he replied, looking back at her again, his expressionate eyes glinting with hope. "I won't let you down."

"I'm sure you won't," she replied, still smiling. "If ever you need help don't hesitate to contact me. You're dismissed."

Alfonse nodded in respect and got up to leave. "Good day Colonel." He turned and headed to the door, Riza's eyes following him all the way. He suddenly paused and faced his superior again.

"Colonel, how well did we know each other two years ago?"

"Quite well, I suppose. Why do you ask?" Riza cocked her brow.

"Um, no reason," and with that he bowed politely and walked through the door.

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**A/N:** Next chapter up soon


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